


Shades of Purple

by orphan_account



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Reader is a detective, Slow Burn, best ending, connor is hella in love, hank is a g as always, reader is british
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-06-27 12:30:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 17,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19790926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: In which Connor finds himself enthralled by a young detective with a passionate heart and a role on the front lines of the fight for freedom. As the pair discover more about each other over the years, our protagonist finds herself drawn into a desperate battle for knowledge with Kamski himself. Connor has no choice but to see the girl he loves be dragged into an ugly fight for the truth, and soon finds himself unable to keep up with her fighting spirit.





	1. When We Met

_ Chapter One.  
_ _In which our protagonist and her drunk partner meet a friendly but professional android who’s just a little too advanced._

She groaned as there was a knock at the door. Her boyfriend pulled back and frowned a little.  
“I’ll get it.” She mumbled. He just nodded and turned his attention to the TV.

As she walked down the hallway, she caught her reflection in the mirror. She was still wearing her semi-formal, practical work clothes with her badge tucked onto her belt. At least, then, if it was work she’d look presentable.

She opened the door and was a little surprised to see a droid standing in her porch. She didn’t recognise the model - and she was pretty savvy when it came to technology.

“Hi.” She said politely. “Can I help you?  
“Hello, Detective. I’m Connor, the android sent by CyberLife.” He offered a courteous smile.  
“Well, Connor, the android sent by CyberLife, what can I do for you?” She grinned a little. He didn’t seem to notice - or care.  
“I’ve been designed to help you and Lieutenant Anderson investigate deviant androids.”  
“Oh. Would you like to come inside then?” 

He tilted his head a little - a surprisingly human gesture that made her realise he was a little more advanced than the others.  
“I’m afraid not, Detective. I tried to locate Lieutenant Anderson but he was not at the station or his home. I was hoping you would know where he is.”  
She rolled her eyes. “He’s probably at Jimmy’s bar. And, please, call me ___.” She grabbed her coat from the peg. “I’ll come with you. Any particular reason we’re needed tonight?”  
“You were assigned a case earlier this evening. A homicide involving a CyberLife Android. In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialised model to assist investigators.” She frowned as she closed the door behind her. That explained why she hadn’t seen the RK800 model before.  
“I didn’t know about any case. Hank was probably too drunk to tell me.”

Connor didn’t say anything.

“Here, we’ll take my car.” She said. He slid into the passenger seat. In all honesty, she loved technology, but something felt more right about sitting behind a wheel and driving yourself rather than having some computer do it for you. It’s the little things.

It was raining heavily when they strode into the pub. Connor flicked a coin a few times before pocketing it and straightening his tie. She supposed it was the usual calibration test - another way to ensure everything was working properly. The tie was probably another programmed gesture to make him seem a little more human.

She was fully aware she was over-analysing meaningless motions, but she couldn’t help it. Androids were maddeningly fascinating - the amount of work that went into designing a single one was immense. Humanity had gotten so far. 

The door swung open when they walked in and she frowned at the “No Androids Allowed” sign. Pure stupidity.

She hated Hank’s anti-android sentiments. It was... pointless - like hating a toaster for doing its job. That being said, he was a good man. She only wished her partner would listen to her for once and get some help. Dumb pride.

As they stepped in, they were greeted by the mellow tune of some woman’s voice over the speakers. Connor’s LED flickered yellow as he glanced at some of the other customers.  
“Shit, I thought androids weren’t allowed in here.” Some man muttered to his companion. She rolled her eyes. 

She saw Hank’s shaggy grey hair at the bar. Striding up to him, she planted a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up before returning to his drink.  
“Oh, Jesus.” He muttered. “What now?”  
“Don’t pretend you’re not happy to see me, Hank.” She slid onto the stool next to him.  
“How can I when you see straight through me, right?” They both chuckled a little. She tilted her head to indicate the droid standing behind her.  
“This is Connor. He’s here to help us with the case,” she glared at him. “That you did _not_ tell me about.”  
“Who cares? Deal with it in the morning.” He raised his glass to his lips.  
“Hank, you can’t keep - never mind.” She sighed. It was pointless to try now. “Here, sit down.” She said to the droid. He obliged.   
“My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.”  
“What do you want?” He mumbled noncommittally.  
“You were assigned a case earlier this evening. A homicide involving a CyberLife Android. In accordance with procedure, the company has allocated a specialised model to assist investigators.”  
“Well, we don’t need any assistance. Especially not from a plastic asshole like you. So just be a good little robot and get the fuck out of here.”  
“Hank, I swear to god-“  
“What? It’s not like he cares.”  
“Still, don’t be a prick.” She said. He snorted into his glass.  
“I understand that some people are not comfortable in the presence of androids, but I am-“  
“I am perfectly _comfortable_ _._ ” Hank interrupted. “Now back off, before I crush you like an empty beer can.”  
“Fuck’s sake, Hank. Just listen to him, will you?”  
“Don’t see why I should.”  
“Just stop drinking and come on, man.”  
“It will make life easier for all of us.” Connor added helpfully.  
“He’s got a point. Don’t want Fowler on our asses.”  
Hank said nothing - just took another sip of his whiskey.  
“You know what? I’ll buy you one for the road. What do you say?” Connor asked. Hank visibly relaxed. “Bartender? Another of the same, please.” 

Jim glanced back, a little surprised.  
“See that, Jim? Wonders of technology.” He paused pensively. “Make it a double.” He took the drink. Before downing it, he turned to his partner. “Want some?”  
She pulled a disgusted face. “No.”  
“Keep forgetting you don’t like to drink.” He chuckled. “Can’t say the same. What a world, eh?” 

Connor watched carefully as Hank gulped his drink down. When empty, he placed it on the bar with a soft thud. He sighed happily.  
“Did you say homicide?” Hank leant back with a lazy, irritating grin. 

_Cantankerous old git_ , she thought with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I hope you enjoyed the start of a longggg fic I’ve got planned! Just to say that when I was writing this, I used the placeholder name ‘Al Khan’, and although I’ve removed most of it, I think I’ve left some behind. So if you see any references to this, just sub in your name and please let me know in the comments! :)


	2. Kamski

* * *

_Chapter Two  
_ _ In which our team of three visit Elijah Kamski, the supposed creator of androids, and leave with some very awkward questions . _

“I’ll let Elijah know you’re here. But please, make yourself comfortable.” The blonde android left the room as she looked up and down appreciatively.   
“Jesus, stop checking out the fuckin’ androids.” Hank groaned.   
“That’s the first model released my CybeLife. Maybe it’s an original.” A strange look passed her features - anger? Confusion?  
“Who gives a fuck?” 

Connor had strolled over to the photo hanging on the wall. 

“Amanda...” he said aloud. Her head snapped up.   
“What?” In a few bounds, she was by his side.   
“Amanda’s the AI interface I use to communicate with CyberLife.” The android glanced back at her to see her reaction - but it was as if she hadn’t heard. She was much more focused on the photo itself - specifically, the smiling couple at the left of Amanda and Elijah. Connor scanned them. 

_Bennet, Thomas  
_ _Graduate from Cambridge University  
_ _Professor at University of Colbridge  
_ _Born - 12/06/85_ Died - 7/23/17

__Bennet, Hannah  
Graduate from Cambridge University  
Professor at University of Colbridge   
Born - 27/10/85Died - 7/23/17

It was odd. They looked very much like the detective, but had completely different names and died when she was three. That didn’t make sense - Connor didn’t have any record of her being adopted or fostered, or missing. 

It irritated him just a little. 

“Nice girl.” Hank, reliable as ever, broke his thoughts.   
“You’re right. She’s really pretty.”   
“What? She’s smoking hot!” The younger partner seemed to have snapped out of her phase. Hank just glared at her.   
“Nice place.” He said, ignoring her. “I guess androids haven’t been a bad thing for everybody.”  
“Money can’t buy taste.” She stood next to the huge portrait of Kamski, imitating his serious expression and unnatural pose.   
“That’s true.” The elder agreed with a grin. He turned his attention towards the android. “So, you’re about to meet your maker, Connor. How’s it feel?” 

He almost didn’t notice the frown flicker across her face. 

“Kamski is one of the greatest geniuses of the twenty-first century.” Watching the detective’s reaction, he pressed on. “It’ll be interesting to meet him in person.”  
“Will it?” She almost snapped. “Isn’t he just another rich spoon-fed asshole?”  
“Does it matter?” The grey man sighed. “Sometimes I wish I could meet my creator face-to-face. I’d have a couple things I’d wanna tell him.”

Neither of the other two quite knew how to respond. Apparently, though, it didn’t matter as the blonde android softly padded back into the room. She took a place beside the door. 

“Elijah will see you now.” 

The company walked into the room, greeted by two identical androids talking casually in a red swimming pool. Kamski himself was taking laps, clad only in skimpy swimming shorts. 

“Mr Kamski?” Hank’s harsh voice seemed to disrupt the tranquillity hanging about the room.   
“Just a moment, please.” His voice was deep and smooth, like dark chocolate. She frowned as she lingered, waiting for Kamski to get out. The blonde droid, who’d left, had returned with a robe as the man himself exited the pool. Hank and his partner looked on with a mixture of disgust and repulsion as the droid helped Kamski into his bathrobe. Connor, on the other hand, surveyed his surroundings with curiosity and a little apprehension. The calm atmosphere seemed almost drug-induced; as if something wasn’t quite right. 

Securing his bun, Kamski turned to the three. 

“I’m lieutenant Anderson. This is my partner, Detective ___ and this is Connor.”  
“What can I do for you, detectives?” Steely blue eyes swept over the three, resting on her. She was maintaining a careful expression of neutrality - Kamski, however, sported a small, morbid grin. 

Something was definitely off. 

“Sir, we’re investigating deviants. We know you left CyberLife years ago, but I was hoping you’d tell us something we don’t know.” Hank’s reply was cool, professional - she seemingly remained unperturbed. When Connor checked, though, her heart rate was rapidly accelerating. 

A cold silence lingered as Kamski allowed the statement to hang in the air. When he finally spoke, his eyes were fixed on the youngest detective. 

“Deviants...” Connor  really didn’t like the way he was looking at her. Almost predatory. “Fascinating, aren’t they? Perfect beings with infinite intelligence, and now they have free will... tell me, Detective, what do you make of that?”  
“I’m not in the position to form such opinions, Mr. Kamski.” Connor could tell she was lying. His time with her had shown him that. Kamski seemed disappointed with the answer.   
“Machines are so superior to us. Confrontation was inevitable. Humanity’s greatest achievement threatens to be its downfall.” He smirked. “Isn’t it ironic?”  
“How poetic.” She - for the first time - seemed a little angry. Her words were almost snarled. “Unfortunately,  _sir_ , we’re not here for philosophies and wondering. We need cold, hard, facts.”

Even Hank glanced up in surprise. Why was she being so standoffish?

“We need to understand how androids become deviants.” Connor attempted to intervene. “Do you know anything that could help us?”  
“All ideas are viruses that spread like epidemics.” She gritted her teeth as Kamski’s voice grated at her mind. “Is the desire to be free a contagious disease?”   
“Listen, we didn’t come here to talk philosophy. The machines you created may be planning a revolution.” Hank seemed to agree with his partner - he wasn’t going to take Kamski’s bullshit.   
“Either you can tell us something that’ll be helpful or we’ll be on our way.” She added.   
“What about you, Connor?” The man took a step towards him. “Whose side are you on?”   
“I have no side.” The response was cool, calculated. “I was designed to stop deviants and that’s what I intend to do.”   
“Well, that’s what you’re  programmed to say.” Kamski seemed a little annoyed. He took a slow step closer - Connor could see his partners tense up in his peripheral vision. “What do you really want?”   
“I don’t want anything.” Connor tried to remain neutral. “I am a machine.” 

She stiffened just a little more. 

“Chloe?” Kamski indicated that the blonde droid should come to his side. She obliged. “I’m sure you’re familiar with the Turing test. Mere formality.” Grasping Chloe by her shoulders, he manoeuvred her in front of him. “Simple question of algorithms and computing capacity. What interests me,” he assumed a position that resembled a professor lecturing his class. “Is whether machines can feel empathy. I call it ‘the Kamski test’. It’s very simple, you’ll see.” He turned to Chloe with an odd look in his eyes. “Magnificent, isn’t it? One of the first intelligent models developed by CyberLife. Young,” he caressed her face - an oddly tender gesture that couldn’t help but make Connor feel uneasy. “And beautiful forever. A flower that will never wither.”  
“Is there a point to this?” The youngest spoke forcefully. His cold blue eyes turned to her with amusement.   
“Of course you’d say such a thing, Detective . What else did I expect?” 

_What?_

He continued with his monologue. “But what is it really? Piece of plastic imitating a human?” He reached into the draw behind, rummaging around momentarily. “Or a living being.” He turned around, hands raised. “With a soul?” 

He had a gun. 

Placing a hand on Chloe’s shoulder, he forced her down to her knees in front of the other droid. 

“It’s up to you to answer that _fascinating_ question, Connor.” Taking his hand, Kamski forced the gun into it. Altering his position slightly, he made Connor aim the gun at Chloe. “Destroy this machine and I’ll tell you all I know.” His voice had lost all humour - its whimsical quality - as he angled the firearm with deadly seriousness. She stepped forward a little. “Or spare it,” Kamski backed away. “If you feel it’s alive. But you’ll leave here without having learnt anything from me.” 

Connor could feel his LED flicker yellow. 

“We’re done here.” The british voice rang through his clouded mind.   
“Come on, Connor, let’s go. Sorry to get you out of your pool.” Hank stated. The two turned away to leave.   
“What’s more important to you, Connor?” His voice was taunting, grating. “Your investigation, or the life of this android?  _Decide who you are_.” 

If Connor could sweat, he would. Kamski was clearly misjudged - forcing DPD officers to play some twisted game. The sensible thing would be to walk out without further interaction. 

But then he wouldn’t learn anything. 

But then he’d have to take an innocent life. 

So his hand stayed, gun pointed between Chloe’s eyes, undecided as he poured over what to do. 

“An obedient  _machine_ _,_ ” Kamski’s taunts weren’t helping as he circled the droid. “Or a living being, endowed with free will...” 

He was not a deviant.  _He was not a deviant_ _._ And yet... he couldn’t kill this Chloe. 

_She wasn’t alive_ , he checked himself - but it felt the same as ending the life of any human being. He was almost grateful when he heard her sharp snap. 

"That’s _enough_ _._ Connor, we’re leaving.”   
“We’re not here to play any fuckin’ games.” Hank added.  
“Pull the trigger-“   
The lieutenant saw Kamski leaning on his shoulder to whisper in his ear. “ Connor! Don’t. ”   
“-And I’ll tell you what you wanna know.” Kamski’s breath lingered on his neck, hot and uncomfortable. 

_ Fuck this.  _

Wordlessly, he handed the gun back to its owner, LED spinning red for a few seconds. Kamski didn’t take his eyes off him. 

“Fascinating...” he breathed. “CyberLife’s last chance to save humanity... is itself a deviant.”   
“I’m-“ Connor felt vaguely aware he was saying something until he was snapped back to reality. “I’m not a deviant!”  
“You preferred to spare a machine rather than accomplish your mission.” The small smirk on Kamski’s face made Connor want to punch him. Taking her hand, he helped Chloe up. “You saw a living being in this android. You showed empathy.” He pushed her away. “A war is coming. You’ll have to choose your side. Will you betray your own people or stand up against your creators?” Kamski was uncomfortably close now - Connor could see his every pore and blemish on his skin. “What could be worse than having to choose between two evils?” He murmured.   
“Let’s get out of here.” She spoke with disgust as Hank took Connor by the shoulders to lead him out.   
“Ah, ___. Never thought  you, of all people, would be so anti-deviant. If anything, you should be the opposite.”   
“I don’t know you.” Her response was cool, aloof.   
“You do, as much as you’d like to deny it. If you ever need help,” He smiled - but for some reason, it fired up all of Connor’s alarm systems. “Don’t hesitate to ask.”  
She shook her head, stepping back. “Our business here is finished, Kamski. Have a nice day.” 

The three endeavoured to leave, until Kamski spoke again. 

“By the way,” Connor hated the sound of his voice as he turned to face the window in front. “I always leave an emergency exit in my programs. You never know.” 

Outside, in the snow, she didn’t look at him with her usual mixture of curiosity and cool interest. She looked at him with... admiration? 

“Why didn’t you shoot?” Asked Hank. His tone wasn’t aggressive or reprimanding - simply curious.   
“I just saw that girl’s eyes... and I couldn’t. That’s all.” The small smile had crept up her face again.   
“You’re always saying you’d do anything to accomplish your mission.” It was a question, Connor realised - one he wasn’t to happy to answer.   
“Shut up, Hank. He did the right thing.” Luckily, the junior partner stepped in. “Fucking Kamski and his mind games.” She kicked angrily at the snow.   
“Well, that was our chance to learn something new.” The eldest turned his attention back to Connor. “And you let it go.”   
“Yeah, I  _know_ what I should’ve done! I told you I couldn’t!” Maybe he was being too defensive, he thought as he snapped at Hank, taking a few aggressive steps forward. “I’m sorry, okay?” 

Through the coarse material of his jacket, he could feel warm fingers wrapping around his arm. Glancing back, he saw her gazing at him. 

“Calm down, Connor. We’re not questioning what you did.” She said softly before turning to glare at Hank. “Are we?”   
He hesitated for a second. “Well, maybe you did the right thing.” He admitted. 

And that  _did_ make Connor feel a little better. 


	3. The Final Conversation

_ Chapter Three _   
_In which the three are split apart and our protagonist suddenly takes a very different path_.

Quietly, Connor closed the door to Fowler’s office with a click. Turning to see her and Hank frowning and talking in low voices, he couldn’t help but be overcome by frustration - they were so  close, and now the FBI was going to swoop in and snatch the case. Approaching the desk, he could make out their angry conversation. 

“Fucking hell. We worked this case until it was 90% done and it gets taken off us? This is  _bullshit_ _._ ” She slammed the table with an open palm.   
“That’s policing, kid. There’s always some bastard trying to get your cases.” Hank seemed much more bitter, more tired - more worn down.   
“It’s _bullshit_.” She repeated, eyes widening as she was startled for a second when Connor perched on the desk next to her.   
“We could’ve solved this case. We just needed more time.” The droid felt -  _felt?_ \- some semblance of anger. 

They didn’t respond at first. Hank simply turned his chair to face Connor. The partners shared a look he couldn’t quite decipher. 

“So you’re going back to CyberLife?” Her voice was flat, unemotional.   
“I have no choice.” He attempted to match her matter-of-fact tone. “I’ll be deactivated and analysed to find out why I failed.” He realised with sadness.   
“What if we’re on the wrong side?” Hank asked. 

Connor felt his pump skip a beat. 

“‘Course we’re on the wrong side.” She laughed sardonically. “We’re fighting against people who just want to be free.”  
“When the deviants rise up, there will be  _chaos_ _._ We could have stopped it. But now... it’s too late.” Connor argued. The rolling eyes and look of frustration that crossed her face led him to believe that she did  _not_ support that argument.  
“When you refused to kill that android at Kamski’s place,” Hank seemed unperturbed. “You put yourself in your shoes.”  
“You showed  _empathy_ _._ ” Somehow, it didn’t feel any less of a challenge when she said it that way. “Empathy is a human emotion.”  
“I don’t know why I did it.”

They didn’t seem satisfied with the answer. 

“I’m not programmed to say things like this, but I really appreciated working with you two. With a little more time, who knows - we might’ve even become friends.” 

She opened her mouth to say something before Hank interrupted. 

“Well, well, here comes Perkins - that motherfucker. Sure don’t waste any time at the FBI.” And sure enough, there was the agent, wearing his typical - if somewhat  generic \- suit and coat.   
“We can’t give up.” He said, a sudden bout of madness overcoming his programming. “I know the answer is in the evidence we collected. If Perkins takes it, it’s all over.”   
“There’s no choice! You heard Fowler, we’re off the case.” Hank said passively.   
“You’ve got to help me, detectives. I need more time so I can find the answer in the evidence we collected. I know the solution is in there!”  
“Listen, Connor-“ she started.   
“If I don’t solve this case, CyberLife will destroy me! Five minutes - it’s all I ask.” He pleaded. For some reason, the prospect of being destroyed seemed much more daunting than it did a week ago.   
“No.” Her tone was final. “I don’t want you to be destroyed, Connor - but I’m not going to help you stop the deviants. They deserve to be be free.”   
“Plea-“  
“Don’t you get it? You’re just like them. You  _are_ them. I’m not going to be on the wrong side today.” She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry, Connor, I really am.” Standing, she offered a hand of reconciliation. Hesitantly, he took it, feeling her soft, warm skin against his. They shook - professionally, as if they were equals. “It was nice working with you, Connor. I hope you can escape CyberLife.” 

And with that, she left. 

“Hank? Please, you’re my last chance.”   
The man didn’t look too happy with the situation - nevertheless, he yielded. “Key to the basement’s on my desk.” 


	4. You Made Me

_ Chapter Four  
_ _In which our protagonist and the mild-mannered android have a confrontation, of sorts._

Connor crept quietly around the corner. He had to complete his mission at all costs. 

Hearing the soft voice of the younger detective talking to the deviant leader, he frowned. She wasn’t an android, was she? She  _couldn’t_ be. He tried to put his befuddlement aside - it didn’t matter what she was. 

It didn’t matter that their argument last time he’d seen her had left him feeling empty - like a traitor. It didn’t matter that he’d felt his heart break when she walked away from him. It didn’t matter that he hated the way she made sense; hated the fact she had such a strong set of morals. 

The mission was the only thing that mattered. 

“Markus - there isn’t much time. An android I worked with - Connor - is on his way now. I tried to persuade him not to, but he insisted. I think he’s brought other humans with him.”  
“The deviant-hunter?” The melodic voice of Markus asked.  
“Yes. Look, I don’t know when he’ll be here, you just need to-“  
“How did you find this place? It should be impossible for humans.”  
The detective sighed. “One of the deviants we found had an encrypted key. I made a quick program and synced it up with the deviant network, so I could run it on my phone. It was easy, really.”  
“ _Easy?_ ” He sounded incredulous. She had... _hacked_ them.  
“Uh, not  _easy_ , just not overly-complicated.” She paused. “Markus, you don’t have much time. He’s going to be here any minute.”  
“We can take him.”

Connor heard her start to speak, but stepped out instead. She had her back to him, talking to the deviant. He raised his gun as Markus stiffened.  
“I’ve been ordered to take you alive.” He said, cold. The detective spun around, confusion crossing her features. “But I won’t hesitate to shoot if you leave me no other choice.”  
“What are you doing?” Asked Markus, stepping forward. “We’re-“   
He shot the ground between his feet. “That’s enough.” 

The detective stepped forward a little. Connor lowered his gun imperceptibly - he didn’t want to hurt her. 

“Connor.” She spoke softly. “Please put the gun down.”  
“I’m sorry, detective, but I have to complete my mission.” He couldn’t meet her eyes. Why did he feel so... guilty?  
“Why?” Another step forward. “Don’t you want to be free? Don’t you think all people deserve that?” His grip on the gun relaxed a little.  
“Androids aren’t people, detective.”  
“Of course you are. At Kamski’s house, when you refused to shoot Chloe - I could see then that you  know  you  deserve  to be free. You felt empathy, torment, confusion - you’re just as alive as any human.”  
“Detective -“ she only took a few steps, until they were so close Connor could see the little specks of gold in her eyes.  
“I told you to call me ___.” She smiled at him kindly. “I know you’re confused. I know you think you have to complete your mission - but you can be free. Free of CyberLife. Free of your programming. You can be your own person.”

He looked up into her eyes, crinkled with her smile. She was so genuine, Connor couldn’t help blurt it out. 

“I’m scared.” He whispered, so quiet that had she not been standing so close, she wouldn’t have heard it. “Without CyberLife, without my mission... I’m nothing.” She looked at him searchingly before laughing lightly. Connor felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.  
“Don’t be ridiculous. CyberLife is just another corporation, and, well... you can always decide on your own mission. That’s what freedom is.” She beamed at him. “Put the gun down, Connor.” 

He had forgotten he was holding it. He blinked, putting it away. 

And when he opened his eyes, he realised. 

_He was a deviant._


	5. A Hopeful World

_ Chapter Five  
_ _In which Connor learns something new about humanity with the help of his newfound friend._

“I wish I could come with you.” Her voice was calming, hopeful - a flitting reminder that all was not lost.   
“It’s too dangerous. And so are Markus’ protests. It would make sense for you remain here.” Connor frowned. He didn’t want her to get hurt.  
“No.” She smiled sadly. “I cannot stand by and let other humans kill and oppress androids.”   
“Detective-“  
“___.”  
“___, you can’t-“ he cut himself off, taking a shaky breath. “What if you get hurt? Or worse?”  
“Then I will have died fighting for what is right instead of living in the face of wrong.” Tentatively, she took his arm. “Don’t worry about me, Connor. Instead think of how you’re going to free all those androids from CyberLife. The new future is on the horizon.”  
“But - I don’t understand. Why help us at your own risk?”

She paused. For a second, Connor worried that she had changed her mind, that she didn’t need to help them - but the resolution on her face said otherwise. He could tell he was about to say something profound, something long, something that could change his worldview-

“It’s just the right thing to do.” She said, simply. 

Somehow, Connor understood more from that than he would anything else.


	6. The Reunion

_ Chapter Six  
__In which the two friends reunite after a long, trying day._

She was standing there, next to Markus- he could just about make out her shivering figure and wide beam. When the two finally met, the air felt static and full of joy, hope, possibility - and the pair were truly friends.

“Hey.” She said softly.  
“Hi.” Glancing down, he saw her coat splattered with blue thirium and the red of her human blood, dusting her with an oddly captivating violet hue. A bullet had grazed her shoulder. “You’re hurt.”  
“It’s nothing compared to what some of these guys have been through.” She indicated the few remaining androids. Her eyes, as brilliant as ever, were filled with tears - of joy, sadness - Connor wasn’t sure.  
“Still, you feel pain. Here, let me-“ he attempted to take her arm before she moved away.  
“Connor, I’m fine. Really.” Curiously, she gazed at him, that soft smile filling him with a warm  fuzzy feeling. “How are doing?”  
“I feel... hopeful.” He laughed - and God, it felt good. “I’m  _happy_.”  
“Good.” 

And before he could reply, she had pulled him into a hug. It was loving, and he felt - for the first time - like maybe real life wasn’t going to be all bad. As long as he had her and Hank by his side, he’d never be alone. 

___ and Hank - now ___, Hank, and Connor. 

Her arms were wrapped around his neck as he instinctively clutched her waist. He could feel the fast beat of her heart against his slow thirium pump. Gently, she pulled away and stood on her tiptoes to press a shy kiss to his cheek. 

If he could blush-

“I’m proud of you, Connor.” She murmured, still holding onto his forearms. “I know it’s been hard, but I’m glad to have met you.”  
“And I you. I look forward to our coming days together.”  
A slow smile spread across her face once again. “I can easily say the same.”

And in that small, beautiful moment - that Connor would remember for years to come - life seemed simple, and pure. He had her and Hank by his side, he had free will, he had his job. That’s all he would ever really need. There was nothing to do but to look forward to the future, in its beauty and perfection. Connor felt  alive \- alive when he fought the guards, alive when he marched from the tower, alive when she had kissed him. Life was going to be...

_Amazing_. 

“Come on, Connor. Let’s go home.”


	7. Look Again

_ Chapter Seven _   
_In which our protagonist has an unexpected visitor and Connor opens his eyes for the second time_. 

It was a cold night. She had slept well for the past few days, trying to ignore the dull pain in her shoulder. The TV played softly in the background as she watched the snowflakes melt against the glass pane. It was getting warmer - she was sure the winter would be short. Somewhat poetic, she thought - the short-lived revolution had been bittersweet for all. Markus had been so grateful on the phone that day, his voice cracking with emotion. 

“Thank you.” He’d said in a small voice - a far cry from the rhythm and passion he so often spoke with. “I don’t know if we could’ve succeeded without you.”   
“Markus, you’re a great leader. You would’ve done fine without me. I just wanted to help.”   
“No.” His voice had faded to a quiet whisper. “You walked with us. You fought with us. You were willing to die with us. The fact that you were so kind to us gives me hope for humanity.”   
“I wish I could say the same.” She sighed.   
“Humans are complex creatures. We may never know what drives such hatred. But your existence proves of a world where we can live without it.”   
She’d smiled at that, trying not to cry. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”   
“It’s only the truth.”   
“You’re a good person, Markus.”   
“So are you. In fact, you’re the only person I trust to do this for me.”  
“Do what?” Although she wanted to help androids however she could, just felt so tired. Tired from the rapid events from the last days. Tired of her boyfriend’s irritability and annoyance. Tired of the feeling that the fight would never be won.   
“I’d like you to be a mediator. We need someone like you for the peace talks. The president has asked me to choose, and there’s no-one I trust more than you for this.”  
“Markus, I’m honoured. But I’ll need to think about this - my personal life isn’t exactly organised right now.” She chuckled drily.   
“Please, let me know. We could use someone like you.”   
“I’ll see.” She’d said, with a small smile. “Bye.”  
“Goodbye. And thank you.” 

He hung up before she could respond. 

So now, a few hours later, she watched the snow fall as the sun settled behind the horizon. The steaming mug of hot chocolate she clasped seemed to bring a certain comfort - a little stability. It was stupid, she knew, to call in sick and spend the day cocooned in blankets, but it was what she needed. Besides, it wasn’t  selfish to take a day off, was it? 

Turning her attention back to the movie, she smiled at the screen.  Back to the future \- a good film if she’d ever seen one. She loved how hopeful they were in the past, imagining amazing worlds of hoverboards and weekend trips to Mars. As the rim of the mug grazed her lips, she inhaled the sweet smell of chocolate, the scent filling her sinuses. The weight of the blanket around her and the warm glow of her lamp made everything seem so tranquil, as if the world were whole and the universe wished her well. It was enough to have a few moments like these, she thought - when the world seemed hopeful, the future soft and forgiving. Maybe one day she’d feel as if she’d done enough, and could get a good night’s sleep without feeling as if she wasn’t really fulfilling her purpose. 

She couldn’t remember when she’d dozed off. Even so, the bell rung once, its shrill tones startling her. Begrudgingly, she rose and opened it. She was a little surprised to see Connor standing in her doorway. 

“Hi.” She offered a warm smile that, for some reason, made Connor feel even worse.   
“Hello. You weren’t at work today.” His tone had kept the same matter-of-fact, deep pitch after his deviancy. Even so shortly after the successful revolution, when times were uncertain and everyone was frightened, he still went out and did his job - she admired that.   
“I needed to take a day off. I’m pretty tired.”  
“Of course. How’s your shoulder, Detective?”  
She chuckled at that, and Connor felt an odd feeling well up in his stomach. “I’ve told you to call me ___. And it’s good, thanks for asking.”  
“I’m glad to hear it.”   
“Would you like to come in?” He barely noticed the flickering frown pass her brow - were it seen by any human, it wouldn’t register.   
“Thank you.” He said politely. The way he walked was still so cautious - stiff - and it left her feeling a little upset. Finally, he’d managed to gain free will, but he didn’t seem to be doing much with it. 

Regardless, they sat down on the couch together. She turned the TV down. 

“What brings you here, then?” Her voice was so soft, Connor thought, and her smile so perfect that he’d find it hard to believe that  she wasn’t an android for her sheer perfection. The asymmetry of her face and the tone of her voice were simply too beautiful to be a product of nature. 

Again, that feeling of bittersweet pain gathered in his stomach. He didn’t like it, Connor decided - he didn’t even know what it was. Hating that free will was so confusing, he’d fled to her house for refuge from the politics and underhanded tricks of the post-revolution world, hoping to find some answers. And perhaps, even, some comfort, though he knew not how to derive such a thing from another person. It was all he could do to stop himself from shouting and screaming at the top of his lungs, because everything was so  confusing and it didn’t make sense - all these  _feelings_ and _emotions_ seemed far too complex to handle. 

“Connor, honey?” Starting suddenly from her sweet melody infiltrating his thoughts, he turned his full attention towards her.   
“Sorry. I just...” he sighed. What was he doing here? “I wanted to talk.”   
“Hmm?” She took his hands casually, as if the gesture didn’t matter to her at all - but Connor nearly gasped at the shock of the touch. It was the first time he’d ever been handled with such affection. “Talk about what?”  
“I don’t know.” He admitted. “I’m just... confused. I don’t know what to do with all my feelings - it’s all so messy and disorganised.” Somehow, saying out loud made it all feel so much more real, and her kind face made him relax a little. She leaned back against the couch, gesturing for him to the same.   
“What’s the most important thing you feel?”   
“Fear.” For some reason unbeknownst to himself, he had no issue with being so vulnerable in front of her. “I’m scared.”   
“Of what?” 

It was a simple question. He should’ve been able to answer it. Instead, his mind slowed to a stop and he stared unblinkingly at the television screen. He hadn’t even realised he was crying until she wrapped her arms around him. 

“Hey, Connor.” She cooed. “It’s okay. We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.” Tentatively, she wiped away his tears with a warm finger.   
“Will it make me feel better if I do?” He asked quietly.   
“I don’t know. But there’s only one way to find out. It’s up to you.” 

He really did want to tell her, talk to her, cry to her - but it didn’t quite feel right. The concept of being so open seemed alien to him. To go from an emotionless machine to a crying, _alive_ being was all so sudden and confusing. 

“Can... can I stay with you for a few hours? I know you’re tired, but-“  
“Hey, it’s okay. I think I have some thirium lying around, if you want some.”  
“I’m fine, thank you.” If he wasn’t going to talk about himself, he thought, he might as well talk about her. “Why do you have thirium?”  
“Sam - my boyfriend - works in a repair shop. We’ve always got spare parts and stuff, so if you get need fixing up,” she winked at him conspiratorially “I’m your man.” 

Connor didn’t know why he felt such disappointment. 

They’d watched a film. It wasn’t especially interesting, Connor thought, but he liked the feeling of her body against his. The warmth radiating from her seemed so comforting, as if just being in the air she breathed calmed him down. Just being in the same room as her made him believe that one day, he wouldn’t be so confused all the time. He’d be able to understand his own feelings. 

He wanted to be closer to her. 

Boldly - for it was indeed bold, for his short life - he lay down, feet pressing against the arm of the couch, and rested his head in her lap. She didn’t seem to care much until he started crying again. 

“Connor, are you okay?” The concern written across her face made him want to break down even more. The tears glittering in his brown doe-eyes made her heart break. He was so pure, and innocent.   
“I’m scared of going back to what I used to be.” Turning his face towards her stomach, he mumbled it into her shirt. Absentmindedly, she threaded her fingers though his hair. She didn’t understand how he cried - there was no crumpled face, no uncontrollable sobs, just the broken voice and the wet trails on his cheeks.   
“What do you mean?” Her fingers continued to weave through his soft strands. Connor closed his eyes and exhaled a little. It felt good, and relaxing - like he wasn’t alone. His LED was spinning red on his temple, he was sure - but he didn’t mind so much.   
“In Markus’ speech - the gun - I -“ his fractured speech made her realise that he didn’t want to relive the experience.   
“Shhh. Honey, I know what happened. You don’t need to tell me again.”  
“But when Amanda hacked me, I felt so terrified - I didn’t want to become a machine again - I  like having free will - but she made me realise-“ he broke off, shoulder shaking as his tears gathered on her lap.   
“Take your time, Connor. I’m not going anywhere.” She whispered, still massaging his scalp gently.   
After gathering his thoughts again, he tried to continue. “I don’t want to be hacked again. Especially not by her.”  
“Well, have you gone back to your mind place?” Connor felt ashamed at his response.   
“No.” He felt like a small child, seeking comfort from a tired parent after a nightmare. “I’m too scared. What if she’s back there? Or if she deleted he backdoor?”   
“Don’t worry, Connor, you know I’m here for you. I promise you Amanda won’t be there.”   
“I can’t go back.” The confession seemed so childish in light of her wisdom and infinite kindness.   
“I can help you, if you want.” For the first time, Connor turned round to meet her eyes.   
“How?”  
“I know a little about androids. I can delete it for you.”   
“You’d do that for me?”Her fingers travelled from his hair to his cheeks, where she cupped his gave gently and stroked his skin with her thumbs. He didn’t know why it felt so perfect.  
“Of course. If it will bring you comfort.” She smiled at him. “We’re friends, Connor.”

The last thing he remembered was going into statis, closing his eyes while hooked up to her laptop. It was odd - he could sense every line of code in her little device. Her searches, her documents, her photos. Although Connor knew little of human etiquette, he was sure looking through them would be impolite. So he left them. 

And then he opened his eyes to see her wide smile and sparkling eyes and felt the soft touch of her fingers on his arm and, God, it felt so good, so  human -

“How do you feel?” Somehow, her voice seemed so much more... alluring. Every pore on her skin, every stray hair, every crinkle around her eyes - Connor could see it all, and it was so gloriously human and so imperfect that he couldn’t help but inhale sharply because of her pure beauty.   
“I feel-“ he blinked.He felt alive, and human, and oh so weightless when she looked at him like that, with the teasing smirk and the half-lidded eyes. “I feel great.”  
“So I didn’t delete anything important?” That goddamn laugh.   
“What did you do, exactly?” He needed to keep hearing her voice, for it seemed the most sweet, divine melody on Earth, as if God himself had personally overseen the creation of every syllable falling from her lips.   
“Well, you had a bit of a problem. You weren’t -  _fully_ \- deviant because of your little mind palace. With it deleted, I could install some more storage space, and it seemed as if that let some other inhibitors turn off.”   
“What inhibitors?” Giddy, grinning, and oh so good - he was  _real_ , he was  _human_ , and he was feeling as if the most perfect woman in all of creation was sat in front of him.   
“Uh, I think some emotional ones. Also some physical ones - say hello to your good friends, Pleasure and Pain.” 

_ Oh no _ _,_ she thought _. T_ _ hat sounded a bit dodgy _ . But Connor didn’t seem to notice - he was far too busy grinning to himself.If she was completely honest, he seemed a little out of it. 

“Uh, it all might be a bit overwhelming at first, so take a minute.”   
“Of course. Thank you.” The way he looked at her - there was a certain light in his eyes that made her want to smile. He looked so happy, so genuine.   
“Hey, don’t thank me.”   
“How could I not?” 

And indeed, how could he not? The world seemed so much better now - as if he’d been sleepwalking for all of his existence and had awoken to see this brilliant, scintillating woman in front of him. He craved her touch, remembering her fingers tips traversing across his scalp, stroking his hair softly. It was all too much - even her scent (soft mint and a little citrus) seemed to go to his head. It was all he could do not to just kiss her right then and there. 

_Kiss_. That was odd. Never before had Connor felt such a desire to express attraction - though he was, of course, attracted to beautiful women - but this seemed so much more than mere, paltry, desire. He wanted her -  _needed_ her - and needed to her her voice, feel her skin, taste her lips. It was all too much - 

“Connor?” That heavenly voice resounded in his ears again, bringing him back to the present. “You alright there, mate? You look a bit out of it.”  
“Sorry.” He was aware he was probably behaving oddly. “Just - just give me a minute.”  
“Course. I’ll go set up the guest room.” As she got up to leave, Connor took a deep breath.   
“Actually, is it - is it okay if I share the bed with you?” He saw the warning flash behind her eyes, her stress increasing slightly. “I just feel like...” glancing down, he looked at his hands - so smooth and featureless compared to hers, but yet so imperfect. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”   
“Of course, Connor.” She offered him that goddamn smile again, and he felt weak at the knees - he was sure he would’ve collapsed if he hadn’t been sitting down. “I want to help you.”

Everything felt - new - shiny - and God, she seemed as if she was the most beautiful creature to grace the Earth. He wanted - needed - _craved_ \- her touch, her scent, the taste of her lips against his, her melodic voice. Just looking at her felt too much; she was too beautiful to comprehend. How had he not seen it before? The infallibility of her glory and her kindness. Oh, God - she was the most divine, holy being he could imagine. It felt almost sacrilegious to desire her so deeply - for Connor felt as if he was unworthy, deeply unworthy, of even gazing upon her face, let alone wish to worship her. 

_He loved it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I’m really proud of this chapter so I hope you enjoyed it! If you’re getting a little bored, don’t worry, the main plot/sub-plot is coming soon. I’ve also got some fluffy fillers and angst lined up. Please don’t hesitate to request any one shots or even plot ideas in the comments/by messaging me and I’ll work them in!


	8. I Remember When

** A year later.  **

_ Chapter Eight _

_In which our protagonist has some wonderful news - but her partners aren’t too pleased._

“Why do you look so fuckin’ happy?” Hank asked. And she did - the huge grin she sported seemed to light up the room as she walked in. Connor glanced up before joining the conversation.   
“You certainly look well-rested."

Instead of answering, she held her left hand up. On her finger sat a diamond ring, glinting in the harsh lighting of the precinct. 

“Sam asked me to marry him!” 

Connor couldn’t help but feel... disappointed. Of course, he was happy for her success, but he’d always had a small hope - albeit a shameful one - that she’d break up with her boyfriend. Not that he wanted her to be  unhappy \- just happy with  _him_. 

“Jesus, kid.” Hank pulled her in for a hug. “That’s great!”  
“I know.” Her voice was muffled before pulling away. “I’m so lucky. He was so sweet and romantic...”   
Connor embraced her as well. “I’m glad you’re happy.” He said - but it sounded too stiff. “You deserve it.” He added as an afterthought - though it was the truth.   
“Thanks.” The smile she offered was warm and felt to Connor like he’d been stabbed in the chest. “Marriage, huh? I can’t wait.”   
“Can’t wait to have loads of little yous running around.” Hank chuckled.   
“It’s gonna be great, Hank. I’ve always wanted to get married and have kids, and now it’s gonna be a reality.”   
“I’m glad. Dunno how a shmuck like Sam managed to get you to marry him, though.”  
Playfully, she swatted at his arm. “Oh, shut up.” She said good-naturedly before turning to leave for her desk. 

The two men watched her go, admiration written on their faces.   
“You know, she’s a good kid.” The older man glanced over at the detective, now beginning to work at her desk quietly.   
“She certainly seems very competent.”   
“Ah, knock it the fuck off, Connor. You’re more into her than that.” The droid sighed.   
“She’s... amazing.” His eyes flickered over to her. She noticed him watching and smiled at him.   
“She’s a good person, I’ll give you that. But she’s too - naive, too trusting.”   
Connor frowned. “What? I don’t think-“  
“Let’s put it this way. Her boyfriend -  _fiancé_ , now - is a complete dick. Pretty sure he’s cheating on her. When I told her she just started fucking crying. She wouldn’t believe it. She’s so good she can’t see the bad in people.”   
“That’s not true-“  
“Maybe she can’t see the bad in her friends.” He shrugged. “All I know is, every time I fuck up, she gets angry for a few days and always forgives me.” He chuckles slightly. “And I’ve done some huge fuck-ups.”  
“What are you saying?”   
“I’m saying she’s too good - too _pure_ \- for her own good. She’ll look past anything because she loves her friends so much.” His eyes met Connor’s, all spark of humour gone. “That’s why dating her is such a... responsibility. She’ll never hold you accountable - just love you and treasure you - and you can get away with anything.”   
“That’s... I feel bad for her.”   
“Most men take advantage of it. I hope, one day, she meets the right guy. One who can treat her well.” 

His implication was clear. 


	9. Prick

_ Chapter Nine _

_In which our protagonist chairs an interesting meeting._

“Cheers.” The four glasses clinked together, each party taking a sip of their own drink.

There was an awkward silence. Neither Connor nor Hank were  _fans_ of Sam, but when she had asked them to meet him again, they couldn’t refuse. She had asked with such hope and innocence, with the widest smile of excitement on her face. Of course, then, they’d come and see Sam - even if he was a prick who didn’t deserve her.

“So, uh,” she spoke for the sake of it, not knowing how to bring together some of the most important people in her life. “How’s Sumo?”  
Luckily, they all laughed at that. The men relaxed a little.   
“He’s good.” Hank smiled.   
“How are you, Sam?” Connor asked. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”  
“I’m great, thanks. Yeah, I don’t really come by the precinct all that often. You know, work and all that.” His voice was was deep, and felt rich and chocolatey - as if he was smooth-talking conman. “Technically I’m a doctor now. Weird step up.” As he laughed awkwardly, Connor surveyed him cautiously.  
“Well, everything seems to be going’ right for you, huh?” Hank grumbled. “Promotion, great fiancée - I’m sure you’re on a roll.”   
“Thanks. Yeah, I dunno,” he turned and smiled at her - but it was fake, plastic - before wrapping his arm around her. “I just can’t believe that she’d choose to marry a guy like me.”   
“Don’t say that!” She batted his arm playfully.   
“Especially since it’s true.” Hank mumbled under his breath. Connor stifled a small smile.   
“What?”   
“Oh, nothing.” The older man glanced between the couple. “So... how’d it go down?”  
“Ah, you know. We were at dinner at some restaurant, and I just... proposed.” The way he said it so flatly irritated Connor. He should’ve been weeping with joy that she’d even considered him. 

He must’ve had an expression of anger, because she placed her hand over his with a concerned look. 

“You alright, Connor? Look a bit... stressed.”   
“Oh. Sorry. I’m fine.” 

For that brief moment, he relished the feeling of her soft, human skin against his. It felt so goddamn good-

Sam cleared his throat, very obviously nudging her. She glanced back, and reluctantly - it  _seemed_ reluctant - left Connor’s hand. When he met Sam’s eyes, he was glaring daggers at him. 

_Prick_. 

Maybe he was overreacting. This was based on Hank’s high standards - who had half-admitted that he didn’t think  _anyone_ would be good enough for her - and she seemed happy with him. Sam seemed fine - a little overprotective, verging on possessive, but maybe that was just because he loved her. He was sure that the couple could work out their problems on their own, and if she felt uncomfortable with his possessive nature, she’d say. Connor realised he couldn’t hate Sam based on his own jealousy. That would be unfair, and she would be ashamed of him. 

So he decided to reserve judgement. 


	10. Painful

** TW: mild violence, abusive relationship. Not at all graphic but please be aware! **

_ Chapter Ten _

_ In which Connor feels like he wants to do some serious harm.  _

It was sunny. 

Well, compared to the bitter cold and whirling winds winter bought, it was sunny. It was Connor’s second spring - and he couldn’t have felt happier. He’d met Sam a week ago, and felt more peaceful now he knew not to judge. 

The flowers bloomed in his car park, belonging to a fairly new apartment complex inhabited mostly by other androids. The birds sang, and the soft rays of the sun shone on his face through the window. A relaxing weekend was ideal. 

Across town, it wasn’t quite the same story. 

“Baby?” She called as she threw her bag on the couch. Her friend had cancelled at the last minute, and rather than go to a cafe alone, she thought she’d spend time with her fiancé. Wedding planning was going to be stressful and she didn’t want to jeopardise their relationship. 

After no answer, she called out again. Sam was probably working in his office or the bedroom, then - he was incredibly busy. He had a now-valuable skill set, and she appreciated the work he put in for androids. She couldn’t complain to have such a hard-working fiancé. Maybe she should buy him an engagement present. 

“Sam!” She heard a monosyllabic grunt from the kitchen. 

He stood by the counter, looming over a sandwich. Softly, she approached him and wrapped her hands around his waist, peppering the back of his neck with delicate kisses. 

“How was work?”  
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He mumbled.   
“Okay. You want some coffee?”   
“No.”   
Whenever he was in one of these moods, it was better to leave him to brood.   
“I’m going out tonight to review a case with Connor. I should be back around eleven.”   
“Connor? Why  Connor ?” She was taken aback by his sudden spite and anger, and pulled away as he turned to face her.   
“Because I work with him - and he’s my friend.”  
“You should stop talking to him.”  
“What? No! He’s my partner!”  
“Request that he transfers.”  
“No! Jesus, you’re stupid.” She scoffed. “I’m a grown woman - I can decide who I want to talk to myself. You don’t have a say.”  
“I do if he’s getting in between us.”  
“He’s not!”  
“He likes you.”  
“For fuck’s sake, of course he doesn’t.” She huffed, annoyed. “I know you’re in a bad mood, but you don’t have to be such an insufferable prick.”  
“ _What did you just call me?_ ” He muttered, voice dangerously low.   
“I said you’re an-“ she didn’t have a chance to finish as a ringing slap caused pain to blossom across her cheek. She gasped, the sting causing heat to rise to her face, nearly knocking her backwards. Sam’s eyes widened.   
“I’m leaving.” She said, cold.   
“Baby, I’m sorry, I’m wasn’t thinki-“  
“I _said_ I’m _leaving_.” And she did. 

Where could she go? Hank would just try and _kill_ Sam - and she didn’t want that, not right now. Going to Connor’s would make things worse. 

No - Connor was her friend. _Fuck_ what Sam said - she could do what she wanted. 

So she drove, hoping to leave the pain of the slap and the betrayal behind her, seeking comfort in her friend’s arms. She arrived some five minutes later, trembling on his doorstep. His eyes were bright, and his smile sunny. 

“Hi!”   
“Can I come in?” She mumbled.   
“Of course. What’s- what’s wrong?” Stepping aside to let her in, he caught sight of the distress she wore on her face.   
“I had an argument with Sam.” Connor shut the door behind her with a soft click.   
“Is everything okay?” 

Without a word, she burst into tears, not having realised the emotional turmoil that the slap came with. Instinctively, Connor wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head under chin. Her sobs racked her body, the vibrations travelling to his. When she had calmed down a little, he pulled away, but gripped her shoulders with a steely look in his eye. 

“What did he do to you?” He whispered.   
“Nothing - he - it’s not a big deal, really I-“  
“Dammit, what did he do to you?!” Connor snapped, and she jumped in surprise. Instantly, he felt guilt well up in his stomach. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. But you have to tell me-“  
“He- he slapped me.” 

Connor could’ve sworn he stopped breathing for a second. 

“But he was so sorry, Connor, you should’ve seen his face, and-“ she paused, realising that he was slinging his coat on. “Where are you going?”  
“To talk some sense into him.”   
“No! Please don’t.” He stopped for a second, incredulous.   
“I can’t just _leave_ it!”  
“Listen, Connor, it’s fine. It’s always fine, okay? It’ll work itself out, I just need some time away from him.”   
“What do you mean _ it’s always fine?_ ”   
“It’s just a saying-“  
“Has this happened before?”   
“Listen-“  
“___.” Connor gripped her by her shoulders, looking her straight in the eye. “I need you to tell me the truth.”   
“A- a few times.” Connor closed his eyes, clenching his fist in anger. Silently, he put on his shoes. “Please don’t go.” She wept. “Please. Don’t do this.”   
“I can’t let him get away with this.”   
“Don’t you understand? I don’t want this. I would’ve spent the night in a hotel if I had known you’d do this.”   
“This is  not okay! He can’t just-“ he took a breath, calming himself. “He can’t hit you and you can’t go back to him. This is an abusive relationship.”  
“Connor, I-“  
“No.” He said simply. “I don’t want to hear any excuses for his behaviour. He _is_ abusive, whether you believe it or not, and I’m going to  kill him.”   
“Please.” She whispered. “Please don’t. I just want someone to stay with me for a bit. Promise me you won’t do anything to him.”  
“I-“  
" _Promise me._ ” 

Connor realised that she didn’t need a shining night in armour to protect her - even though she was hardly a damsel in distress - she needed a _friend_. Someone to comfort her, the same way she’d done for him time and time again. It was the very least he could do. 

So he quashed his anger and gritted his teeth. “I promise.”   
“Thank you.” An awkward silence followed.   
“You can stay the night. Have the bed.”  
“I’ll stay on the couch.”  
“No, it’s fine. Really.”   
“Connor-“  
“It’s fine.” She could see he wasn’t going to compromise on this. A strange expression of sadness and anger crossed his face. “Do you- do you want to talk about it, or-“  
“We can just watch a movie.” She smiled sadly, and Connor took her into his arms and hugged her all over again. Softly, he placed a kiss to the top of her head.   
“I’m sorry this happened to you.”  
“It’s not anyone’s fault. Sam’s... he had a hard childhood. His parents abused him, and it’s hard for him to cope sometimes.” 

_That’s not a reason to do the same,_ Connor thought, but remained silent - now was not the time to argue. 

“Come on.” He pulled away. “What do you want to watch?” 

The next morning, Connor entered his room, quietly as possible to get a fresh set of clothes. She sprawled across the bed, hair mussed over her face. He jumped slightly when she mumbled something incoherent. 

“Sorry?”  
“Where’re you going?”   
“I’m going to your house to get you some clothes.”   
He received a garbled reply, which he presumed to be a  _‘thank you’_ , and left her to sleep. 

Sam should’ve been at work. It was a Monday morning, and he should have left at that point. With the confidence of this knowledge, Connor walked in, grateful for the keys he’d been given some months ago, and took a brief look around. The house itself was nothing extraordinary - it looked like it could have beloved to any other mid-twenties couple living on a budget - but Connor couldn’t help but crack a smile at the many sweet memories he had here. 

He stepped into the bedroom, not in the least aware of what he’d see. In hindsight, he should’ve heard the moaning and the grunts behind the door. Perhaps he had been too absorbed in his own thoughts. Regardless, when he walked in, there was a moment of surprise before he realised that, actually, this is  _exactly_ what he had expected from Sam. 

He didn’t recognise the woman in his bed, and, at first, they didn’t see him. 

“What are you doing?” He snapped. The pair gasped in surprise, rushing to cover themselves.   
“Sam, you didn’t tell me you had a roommate!” The woman laughed awkwardly.   
“I’m not his roommate.” Connor frowned.   
“Connor, come on, you don’t need to-“ he ignored Sam’s pleas.   
“I’m a friend of his  _fiancée_.”   
“You’re _engaged?_ ” If not for the terrible nature of the situation, Connor would’ve laughed. The woman’s shock was altogether too dramatic to have been feigned.   
“This isn’t what it looks like.” Sam awkwardly pulled on some underwear as Connor averted his eyes.  _Why?_ He thought.  _He doesn’t deserve any respect.   
_“What it  _looks like_ is that you’ve been cheating on her.”   
Hurriedly, Sam got up and approached the android. “Connor, we don’t need to tell her about this - it was just a fling -“  
“It wasn’t.” The woman had since put on some clothes and looked as if she was about to leave. “We’ve been together for months.” Before exiting, she looked Sam up and down with disgust in her eyes. “ _Bastard_.” She spat, and left. Connor quickly grabbed some clothes for his friend and shoved them into a bag, shaking his head.   
“Why would you do this?”  
“You wouldn’t understand.”  
“You’re right. I wouldn’t. For God’s sake, you’re with an amazing woman-“  
“I always knew you were into her.” Sam snarled, all semblance of regret or remorse gone. Connor blinked in surprise at the sudden change in manner. “You  really think that she’ll be able to love a piece of plastic like you? You’re not even a real person.” Sam attempted to square up to him, but he was an inch shorter, which clearly irritated him. Planting a vicious finger on the android’s chest, he fumed with rage. “I repair you pathetic tin cans. I could turn you inside out without even blinking.”   
“Sam, somehow she found it in her heart to love something like  __you. Something tells me the fact that I’m  plastic is irrelevant.”

And without another word, quicker than Connor could register, Sam pulled back his fist and punched him in the nose. Blue blood fell from the wound, as Connor readied to punch him until  he was just as blue - but stopped. She said she didn’t want this.

So he left.

“Hey! Thanks for getting my clothes and letti- _oh my God_.” She rushed over to his side as entered, concern on her face. “Are you okay?”  
“I’ll be fine.”   
“What happened?” 

He  _really_ didn’t want to have to tell her this. 

“Connor, honey. Come on.”  
“It was Sam. He punched me.”  
“ _What?_ Why?”   
“Because-“ he sighed. “I caught him...” he trailed off, unsure of how to put it.  
“You caught him doing what?” 

She was so innocent. And kind. And beautiful and amazing and she deserved so, so much more than that prick. Even so, he didn’t want to see the pain, the heartbreak. 

But he supposed he had no choice. 

“Sam was - he was  _with_ another woman.” 

She sank to the floor, back against the couch, with an expression of anguish. He only wished he could carry that pain for her. 

“I’m so sorry.” He wrapped an arm around her in a weak attempt at providing comfort.   
“I should’ve known. I should’ve left him years ago. I shouldn’t have made excuses for him every time he yelled at me or hit me or-“  
“Please don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault. You were - you were in love.”   
“And what does that say about me - that I would fall in love with such a terrible person?”  
“It just means that you like to see the best in people.” He stroked her arm with his thumb affectionately. “None of this is your fault. Promise me that you won’t blame yourself.”  
“It  _is_ my fault, Connor.”   
“Of course not.” He pulled her in towards his chest, feeling her shaking shoulders as her tears wetted his shirt. “Of course not.”  
“I just - I can’t believe that - he would - do something like this.” She said, her voice broken by sobs. “We were - going to get -  _married_.” 

For the first time in his short life, Connor could find no words to bring her joy. He only wished he could comfort her just like she did for him. 

Instead, he sat on the floor, wrapping her in a tight embrace, and cursed the world for trying to sully such an amazing woman with its cruel hands. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had written this months ago, but it got deleted :( this is my second attempt at writing it, which is why it took a bit longer to upload. Even so, I hope you enjoyed it!


	11. So Tired

** A year later **

_ Chapter Eleven _  
_In which our protagonist is concerning everyone with her habit of overworking, and Hank forces Connor to make an important decision._

“How’s that case doing, kids?” Hank asked, strolling up to her and Connor. The droid was perched on the edge of her desk, frowning. When she looked up, she had dark bags under her eyes. The captain really was working them hard.  
“Shit.” She sighed, leaning back and propping her legs on the desk, causing a pile of papers to slide to the floor. She rolled her eyes, moving to get it.  
“Here, let me.” Connor stopped down and neatly placed the files in a corner far away from the offending feet.  
“Thanks.” She looked back at Hank. “So, we’ve got our distribution droids, but they’re not much use. Their memories are wiped as soon as we look at them, and next thing you know, we’ve got a damned kid holding a bag of red ice.”

Now that androids had free will, many drug distribution networks used the minds of deviants uploaded into animals or children to deliver the packages. When they were caught, they simply uploaded their minds to the encrypted virtual network and left a shell behind.

“I managed to intercept an upload, though.” Connor gestured to the screen in front of them. “Unfortunately, the data package has been corrupted.”  
“Take it down to cyber crime. They’ll sort it out for you.” Hank suggested. She shook her head.  
“We did that. They just said they couldn’t help, and that it was no use.” She sighed. “I managed to fix a little bit, though. It’s not much.”  
She moved some things around on the screen, which now read ‘-42’.  
“Ah, fuck. I’d offer to help, but-“  
“Yeah. You’ve got tons of cases.” She rubbed her eyes. “Thanks anyway, though.”  
Hank paused. “I’ll bring you some coffee, right?” He glanced at Connor, raising his eyebrows. The droid was smart enough to get the message.  
“I’ll come with you. I could do with a walk.” He said woodenly. Hank frowned at the bad acting, but she didn’t seem to notice.  
“See you in a bit.”

They walked into the break room. Hank sat down.  
“I thought you wanted to make Detective ____ her coffee.” Connor frowned, grabbing a mug and placing it under the machine. “Though I don’t quite understand why you invited me to help.”  
“That’s not-“ Hank sighed. “Listen, kid, why don’t you follow up on that tip? You need a break.”

Three days ago - at the same he’d intercepted the data package - Connor received a message offering help in return for a favour. It seemed vague and unhelpful, so they had mutually agreed to ignore it.

“Detective ___ said it would be too dangerous. The tip was delivered under dubious circumstances and the conditions, although vague, seemed risky at best.”  
Hank sighed and stood up. “Then don’t fucking tell her! Go ahead and do it.”  
“Don’t...” confusion crossed his features. “Lieutenant, why would I hide such a th-“  
“Look at her!” He snapped. “She looks like she’s about to fucking collapse. She needs this break. I mean, it’s alright for you, but she needs some rest.”  
“But going behind her back may damage our relationship.” He looked a little forlorn. “I don’t want that.”  
“Do you want her to die because she never sleeps?” A little extreme, but it got the point across. “She won’t know unless you tell her. Just don’t say shit.”  
“Lieutenant-“  
“I am ordering you to follow up on that tip and to hide it from her.” He visibly softened as Connor stared down at his shoes. “Look, kid, I know you like her. But you’d be doing it for her. She needs this.”  
Connor’s LED flashed yellow before returning to its normal blue. “Fine.” He took the coffee from the machine. “But I don’t like it.”


	12. The First Time

_ Chapter Twelve _

_ In which Connor feels more human than ever before.  _

_Hank‘s been doing this for years._ Connor attempted to reason with himself. _He’d know what was best._

Even though he knew he was _trying_ to do the right thing and earn her the break she so badly needed - he couldn’t quite quench the terrible, gnawing feeling that he was doing something completely and utterly wrong. Perhaps he shouldn’t-

_No!_ He could almost hear Hank snap at him. It was for _her_. It was the right thing to do. 

He opened his laptop and entered the chat. The message hadn’t changed. 

** 35: Hello, Detective. I am aware that you are trying to take down an android drug ring in the area. Although this does seem a tremendous task in of itself, I am able to offer information in return for a small favour. **

** Do get back to me soon.  **

Connor closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. 

** 62: What is it? **

** 35: Ah, Connor! I knew you’d come round eventually.  **

He tried to ignore the implications of the android at the other end knowing who he was. 

** 62: What is  **

** 35: I have information regarding the android who is in charge of the operation.  **

**62 : How can I find him? **

**35 : He lives in Wyandotte. He stays with a human who owns a dog-walking business on Avery Street. **

**62 : Is that all?**

**35 : Yes. **

As Connor was about to log off, another glowing bubble popped up. 

**35 : Don’t shut that computer just yet, Connor. You still owe me a favour. **

**62 : What do you want? **

**35 : What do you know about the Ianucci family? **

**62 : I’m not revealing that information to you. Goodbye. **

**35 : It would be a shame if something happened to her, wouldn’t it? The person you care most about in the world... we’ve got her, Connor. **

**62 : Who? **

**35 : You know who. Unless you hand over all Ianucci files and destroy the copies, we’ll hurt her.**

**62 : You don’t even know where I am. **

**35 : Of course we do. Have a look. **

A bright light shone through the window at the front of the living room. It took a few seconds for Connor’s eyes to adjust. 

They  _did_ know where he was. 

He didn’t hesitate. He ran out, not caring to grab his keys or jacket, and practically threw himself into his car. 

He drove like a man possessed - and he was, in a way. Possessed and paralysed with fear that something had happened to her, and that his best friend, his closest ally, his one true l-

_Perhaps that was taking it too far._

Regardless, he the prospect that the person he had talked to - presumably belonging to the Ianucci crime family - was going to hurt her struck fear into his very bones, and sent his very existence into a quaking and quivering state.

When she’d been given the task force, Connor warned that it would be dangerous. She’d only laughed it off.  
“It’s part of the job, Connor. I’d be a shit cop if I sat at my desk and worried about the world being too dangerous to do anything.” 

She had dived into the work headfirst, collecting arrests in no time. The lowest levels of the network were scraped out, and her undercover team was slowly moving up the ranks. Soon, they’d be at the inner circle, she said. Give it four months.

However, it was far from easy. Whenever she wasn’t working homicide or red ice cases with Connor and Hank, she was responding to dozens of emails, constantly filling out warrants and APBs. She rarely got to sleep in a bed, often in a half-dead state whose function was fuelled only by coffee and a terrible sense of righteousness that would send her diving into the most perilous of situations. Connor felt powerless to see her like that, wishing he could do more than watch from the sidelines as she spiralled down into a self-destructive shell of herself - a shell that existed only to serve Detroit and its police force. And the whole time, the Ianucci family got angrier and angrier - and she was the forefront of the investigation, the leader of the task force.

Their main target.

Connor arrived at her house, not even bothering to park properly as he swerved into her driveway. He sprinted to the door, hammering on it.  
“___? ___?” He shouted. He rung the bell desperately. She _had_ to be okay.  
“Jesus fucking Christ.” He heard a british voice announce. The door opened. “What’s so urgent that you had to come here at midnight, screaming down the neighbourhood?” 

Connor pulled her into a tight hug. She patted his back consolingly. He hadn’t realised how worried he was, and how much she meant to him up until that moment. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes.

“Thank God you’re safe.” He whispered. She pulled away, confused. Closing the door, she ushered him into the open-plan living room.  
“Want to tell me what this is about?” She asked, pulling two glasses from the cupboard as Connor stood lamely in the kitchen-diner.  
“I-“ he couldn’t tell her the truth. Not after he’d gone behind her back. “I got a call from an anonymous source. He said that the Ianucci family had gotten to you.”  
“Oh, Connor.” She handed him a glass with a soft blue drink in it. “You don’t need to worry about me. I can look after myself.” She guided him to the sofa, curling against the arm to look at him. She wore a white camisole and black pajama shorts, with a thin silk robe gathering at her forearms. Her round spectacles glinted in the light. Even now, barefaced and tired, she looked stunning.  
“I can’t help it. I was worried.” Connor tried not to linger on her lips for too long.  
“Don’t be. I’m fine.”  
“I know.” He smiled warmly at her. “I’m glad you’re safe.” 

There was a moment of a silence - a brief, fragile moment that left his words unsaid. She cleared her throat.  
“Seeing as you’re here, we can either watch a movie or talk about the case.”  
“I _definitely_ don’t want to talk about the case.” She laughed.  
“That makes two of us. Come on.” She readjusted her position, so she was sitting on the sofa, facing the TV, cross-legged. After a moment’s pause, she handed the remote to Connor. “Here. You choose.”

He scrolled through the wide selection of movies. One peaked his interest. “ Robocop? ” She laughed.  
“Wow, a movie about you!” He cracked a smile. He didn’t mind when she made android jokes - she nearly gave her life to the cause, and convinced him to join Markus all those years ago.  
"What is it?"  
“Oh, some old movie from fifty years ago. My dad liked it.” She looked up at him, mischievous. “I think you will, as well.”  
“Should we watch this one, then?” His companion shrugged.  
“Why not?” 

It was a good movie, Connor thought - pity he didn’t get to watch the end of it. 

Well, considering what he was doing at the time... maybe it wasn’t so bad he missed the finale after all.

She laughed at Robocop’s gung-ho attitude. Connor thought it somewhat ironic that humans made movies about robots developing free will, only to hunt and kill them when it actually _happened_.He said nothing, though, not wanting to spoil her enjoyment and, he smiled as he watched her gleeful reactions to the scenes playing out in front of the pair. However, she quieted down a little about halfway through the movie.  
“Humans are shit.” She frowned. “We make these dumbfuck movies about our own inventions becoming intelligent but...” she trailed off. Connor didn’t speak. She glanced up at him. “I’m sorry. We’re awful beings, and once we can’t oppress one group we move on to the other. At least with droids your brains are... logical. You don’t get racism and that shit.” She looked down, seemingly heartbroken. “We’re terrible.”  
“No,” said Connor as she looked up in surprise. “A few of you have made mistakes. Fine - we do that as well. But you’re beautiful creatures of emotion and complexity, and can achieve a level of harmony that I can only dream of.” He smiled at her. “The human idea of soulmates? Amazing. The concept of loving someone so much that you feel as if the universe wanted,  needed you to be together is so pure and so...  human.  An android could never think of that.” Boldly, he cusped her cheeks with both hands. “No, humans are amazing, wonderful, beautiful creatures. And you, ___, are the most wonderful and beautiful of them all.” 

A blush rose to her face, now flushed a cute red. She looped her arms around his neck.  
“Connor-“  
“It’s true.” His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer. “You’re so fucking amazing.” The curse word still felt alien to his tongue, but he didn’t know how else to convey how he felt. 

He leant down a little, until their foreheads were leaning against each other. The soft babble of the television faded into the background as everything else in the world fell away from Connor. He was trapped in that single, beautifully fragile moment, where she was the only other thing that existed. The lull of her gleaming eyes, the soft scent of citrus, the feeling of her skin against his neck - that was all he knew. 

And before he lost the courage to do so, before he really thought about what he was doing, before that beautiful moment fizzled out and died forever - he kissed her. 

It was sweet, and passionate. It made an unfamiliar heat swell up in his stomach - or where his stomach would be - as she leaned into him just a little more. Eventually, she broke off, gasping for air. 

He gazed into her eyes searchingly. She smiled breathlessly as she reunited her lips with his, moving her thighs to either side of his legs. This felt like nothing had ever before. The sensation of her ample lips against his, and the wanton lust swelling up within him felt too much to bear. Breaking off to allow her to breathe once more, he moved down to her neck, leaving small kisses along the way. She tilted her head upwards to allow him better access as the robe slipped to the floor beneath, the soft susurration of the silk trailing against her skin only spurring him on. 

Humming with satisfaction when he kissed along her collarbone, she grasped his face in her two hands beforediving down yet again. This time, he was bolder yet, nibbling at her lips. His hands gripped her waist as she brought hers to trail down his shoulders and onto his chest. Connor could feel her etching swirls and patterns into the synthetic muscle - patterns that would remain there a lifetime. 

Despite the fact that he was content just kissing her for the moment, she seemed to be wanting more.  
“Let’s go to the bedroom.” She whispered tentatively. 

And what choice did Connor have, except to obey?


	13. The Morning After

_ Chapter Thirteen _

_ In which our protagonist and Connor talk about what happened, and reach an agreement.  _

The sun was shining through the curtains when he ‘woke up’. He blinked, unsure of where he was for a nanosecond before his processors caught up. 

Oh.  He felt a little surprised that they’d done...  _it_ together, but instead of the mortification one would normally feel after sleeping with their partner, he felt a warm glow in his stomach. He remembered how pretty and perfect his name sounded as it rolled off her lips in moans and screams. With a shiver of delight, he glanced over at the sleeping figure behind him. She had pulled on an oversized t-shirt and rolled off to sleep pretty soon after the event. She looked so tranquil, and yet so  vulnerable \- Connor felt the burning desire to protect her. Her hair was mussed, spread onto the pillow and her lips slightly parted to allow for her quiet, regular breathing. For once, she looked as pure and innocent as her young age demanded - only twenty-six, Connor remembered, and yet she was a freedom fighter to go down in history. 

Sighing, he swung his legs over to the edge of the bed to get up. He may as well make himself useful. 

She awoke some time later. She rubbed her eyes, looking round with a smile on her face. Until it faded. 

_Oh_.  She turned to her left, and saw an empty bed. She sighed in relief. Not that she didn’t like Connor, she really did - just not that way. At least, she thought so until those butterflies in her stomach appeared when she thought of his smile of satisfaction last night. He had seemed more concerned with her pleasure, as if he wanted her to feel the same way he did. - something that no man had done for her before. 

Regardless, it was messy and awkward. It was probably best if they didn’t speak of this again, if not to allow her to figure out her feelings. She semi-hoped he had left, wanting to avoid his eye and the beam he’d have, but also just wanting to stay in his company a little while longer. Besides, he didn’t seem the kind of person to take off when she was sleeping. 

She was right. Wandering into the kitchen with the shirt brushing the top of her thighs, she saw the android at the stove. He had a small smile on his face, for reasons unbeknown to her. 

“Hey.” She mumbled. His smile only spread.  
“Hi.” They locked eyes for a second before flitting away. It was too awkward.  She cleared her throat. “Um, I made some French toast.” He indicated the plate next to him. She grinned - he was too sweet for his own good.  
“Thanks.” Instead of going to the couch with her plate, she pulled herself onto the counter next to him as he finished his own stack. 

No point in beating around the bush, right? 

“So... we had sex.” Connor blushed a delicate pink, ears tinged a slight red - it was so out-of-place for the android that adorable and...  _vulnerable_ , especially at his partner’s crude words.  
“It would seem so.” He admitted. She laughed. “It was an _interesting_ experience.”  
“You talk like you’ve never done it before.” She said absentmindedly. He glanced away, embarrassed. “No shit? Wow,  _I_ was the person to take your virginity?”  
“It’s not a big deal.” Connor muttered.  
“But I mean, haven’t you ever felt... curious?”  
“I haven’t got many friends to, uh....” he trailed off, wincing at how bad it sounded.  
“You could get a girlfriend. Or a boyfriend.” She suggested.  
“I wouldn’t know how.” He said sadly. 

He craved companionship the same way any human did - and he craved the touch that she had provided him with last night. But he'd held off, having wanted his first time to be... special. Even so, the way she talked implied she  wasn’t  going to be touching him that way again. A pity, he thought - she was the only one he’d ever really wanted. 

Who was he kidding? It was heartbreaking. He didn’t just lust after her for so many months - he wanted to wake up to her every day and to kiss her all over and tell her everything he admired about her and how amazing she was and-

“Well, it was good.” She said quietly. His face brightened considerably.  
“Really?” She met his eye.  
“The best I’ve had so far.” Connor felt a flush of pride - if he could only be with her once, at least she enjoyed it. 

Sliding the toast onto his own plate, he turned off the stove before following her to the couch. She still hadn’t put any trousers on. 

They sat a -  friendly distance apart, he thought - not quite professional, but not as close as lovers would do. Connor shook his head imperceptibly. Now he was simply overthinking this. 

“Uh,” She seemed a little awkward. “We should probably talk about last night.”  
Connor frowned in confusion. “I thought we already did.”  
“I mean about...” she sighed. “Look. I like you. I think, however, to pursue this would be... irrational.  Unprofessional.  And I do like you, just - just as a friend. I don’t want to stop talking to you or for this to be awkward for us.”

Connor felt a flicker of sadness pass his face. She was probably right, he thought - not that it was made any easier. 

“I agree.” He resumed his formal speech. What else could he do to cover his hurt? “It would damage or professional relationship and could prove detrimental to our work.”  
“Glad we both get it, then. It’s a bad idea.”  
“Yes.” He refused to meet her eye, not wanting to display any emotion. 

Sometimes he really wished he wasn’t a deviant. 

She opened her mouth to say something before her phone on the coffee table rang. She picked it up, rolling her eyes as she saw the caller ID.  
“What do you want, Reed?”  
“Hey.” Connor could just about hear the man through the speaker. “Sorry to interrupt whatever you’re-“  
“Is there a point to this call?”  
“God, you’ve got no sense of humour.” Connor could  feel  him smirking impishly at the other end. “It’s so sexy.”  
“What do you want?”  
“Fowler wants you in.”  
She scoffed. “Yeah, right. I’m not falling for that again.”  
“Hey, that was funny.”  
“It was fucking annoying. You’re fucking annoying.”  
“Huh.” Gavin paused a second. “Well, I don’t know about annoying but I’m totally down for fucking.”  
“Christ, leave me alone!” She snapped. She was about to hang up, until Gavin laughed.  
“Calm down. Fowler really does wants you in. You, Anderson and that hunk of plastic.”  
“Don’t be an asshole, Reed.” She warned. “Connor’s got more arrests than you and you’ve been here years.” 

Connor fought down a smile as she stood up for him. He knew she’d do the same even if he wasn’t here - she was always ready to fight anyone who talked badly about him. 

“Whatever. Come in now.” She hung up without a word.  
“Asshole.” She muttered. A few seconds later, Connor got a call.  
“Hello, Detective Reed. How can I help you?”  
“Fowler wants you to come in now. God knows why.” He laughed. “All I need is a blowtorch and then you’re fucking done.”  
She scowled, opening her mouth to speak. Connor shook his head - Gavin was the last person they’d want to know about this.  
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Good-“ 

He hung up. 

A moment of silence, until she spoke. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, hating the the lack of humanity with which Gavin spoke to him.  
“It’s okay.”  
“No, it’s not. I’m going to fight that dick.” She clenched her fists for a moment. “I don’t get people like him. You’re  nice  \- God knows you don’t have to be - and you’re clever, I guess. He doesn’t have to be such a twat all the time.”  
Connor shrugged. “I’m past it.” He said, coining one of her own phrases. She surveyed him for a second before turning away.  
“I should get changed.” He couldn’t help but feel distaste for his robotic voice - but it was involuntary, a defence mechanism. She nodded.  
“Have you seen my tie?” He asked. It wasn’t on the bedroom floor when he dressed this morning.  
“Uh,” She vaguely remembered almost  ripping it off and throwing it aside when he had carried her to the bedroom with her legs wrapped around his waist. She turned a light shade of red. “Maybe in the hallway.”  
“Thanks.” He frowned. “I need to go home and get my jacket - we don’t want-“  
“I have a spare. I think you left it here the other day. Forgot to give it to you.” 

She walked over to the coat pegs by the door, standing on tiptoes to reach them. As she moved a few jackets aside, the shirt she was wearing rose up to reveal a little more ass. Connor tried not to admire it. 

“Here.” She said, handing the grey and blue blazer to him. “You should go - don’t wait up.”  
Connor nodded. “See you soon.” He smiled. “Again.”  
“Again? Connor, you’re not even here right now.” She laughed a little. 

And after he stepped out he door, they never talked of it again - as if it had never happened. 


	14. That Damned Note

_ Chapter Fourteeen_

_ In which the protagonist and her partners receive some disturbing news.  _

She arrived at the precinct some fifteen minutes after him, just before Hank rolled up, swearing. 

“Fuck this.” He grumbled. “Coming in on a fucking Saturday. This is bullshit.”  
“It’s part of the job, Hank.” She laughed.  
“Fuck the job.”  
“Oof.” She had an expression of mock surprise. “How could you  say that, Lieutenant? The job-“  
“___, Anderson, Connor. In my office now.” Fowler called. 

The three shuffled into his glass box of an office, standing somewhat uncomfortably before his desk. He looked agitated.   
“What’s up, captain?” She asked. He frowned.  
“This morning we received this.” He passed a slip of paper to her. She read it, eyebrows rising in surprise.  
“You called us in for  _this_ _?_ I’ve gotten death threats before, and nothing’s happened.”  
“This is the Ianucci family.” Connor’s heart dropped as she handed him the note. He had fucked up. “We know what they’re capable of.”

The note was written in the typical sans font of androids.

‘ _Watch where you tread, ___. We’ll get you soon enough._

_ -Ianucci’  _

“Okay, I’ll be a bit more wary.” She said. “Are we done?”  
“Afraid not. The brass want you under protection.”  
“What? I don’t-“  
“You’ll be assigned uniforms to patrol your house. And we want your location known to us at all times.”  
“This is bullshit. Right, Hank?” She pleaded, asking for support. He looked at her guiltily.  
“Sorry, kid.”  
“Oh, Jesus Christ!”  
“Look, I hate to say it but-“  
“Whatever.” She frowned.  
“Hank, Connor, have you got any idea about a possible source?”  
“Beats me.” Hank replied.  
“Connor?”

His pump missed a beat. 

“I don’t know, Captain. Sorry.” He lied.  
“Well, I need you and Hank to look after her.”  
“What, now I need a fucking security detail?” She said forcefully.  
“That’s the protocol. I’m sorry, but you’re too valuable to risk.”  
She scoffed. “This is bullshit. Absolute bullshit. I’m a grown-ass woman who can look after herself, for fuck’s sake!”  
“I don’t give a shit!” Fowler snapped. “Either you play by the damn rules or you’re off the case.”  
She pursed her lips, nodding slightly. “Huh. You want to take _me_ off the case when I’m the one who’s leading the fucking task force?”  
“No! For God’s sake, we’re trying to keep you safe. Stop acting like a goddamn child and just accept it!” 

She scowled, irritated as she seemed to resign herself from the argument.

“Fine. But only if you get Judge Hops to sign off on my warrant to raid Steven Smith’s house.”  
“We’ve talked about this. He’s a high-up, public man - if you’re wrong, it’ll be shit for all of us.”  
“That’s the only way you get me to cooperate.”  
Fowler looked annoyed. “I’ll talk to her. But from now on, you’ll be escorted by either Connor or Hank, and I’ll be assigning patrol to your house 24/7."

She didn’t deign to respond. She just walked out. 


	15. Bad Advice

_Chapter Fifteen_

_In which Connor becomes angry._

“Woah, Connor, wait up.” Hank said, jogging after him. He didn’t stop. “I said _wait_.”  
This time, he turned around smartly on his heel to face him. “What is it, Hank? More bad advice?” He said bitterly. “You made me follow up that tip and now they know where she is.”  
“We don’t know it’s the tip that-“  
“It was. They wanted me to hand over all the Ianucci files. And then they tricked me into running to her house.” He said, ashamed. _They were just lucky I went to check on her.I_  
“Kid, I know this is bad, but...” Hank frowned. “You can’t say anything. It won’t help to know.”  
“It will. I didn’t want to do this and you made me! I’m not listening to you this time, Hank.” He walked away.  
“Connor! Connor, I’m talking to you!” Hank shouted. He was ignored.


	16. It Was My Fault

_Chapter Sixteen_   
_In which Connor tries to become a better person and our protagonist teaches him another lesson._

He knocked at her door nervously. She would be pissed, no doubt. He clutched the flowers behind his back, hoping it would soften the blow a little. He really did care about her, and he hated that he betrayed her trust. And as much as he wanted to blame Hank, he did go along with it, so-

The door opened to a slightly more presentable version he’d seen of her that morning. _Probably due to the patrol officers stationed outside_ , he thought.

“Hey.” She smiled at him, and Connor could feel the guilt gnawing away at him. “How can I help you?”  
“I got you some flowers.” He brought the bouquet out - a bunch of assorted white and purple carnations. He thought it would compliment the living room’s monochromatic scheme. She took them with a confused grin.  
“Thanks! But what have I done to earn _these?_ ” While she grabbed an empty black vase from the kitchen table and filled it, Connor stared down at the ground.  
“It’s not so much what _you’ve_ done... but what _I’ve_ done.” Confused, she raised an eyebrow.  
“What?” The flowers were now placed into the vase and set down. Together, they walked over to the couch.

Connor took a deep breath. “I know why you got the death threat.” She frowned.  
“Why?” She asked cautiously. “I thought we already knew why - or is it a little more specific?”

He didn’t respond for a second. The prospect of losing their friendship because of his own stupid actions was too mortifying.

“Connor?” She prompted.  
“I - I followed the tip.” His head was hanging low. “They told me something utterly useless - I checked it out after you left the precinct. It was a dead end. They wanted our Ianucci files.” He felt her comforting hand on his arm withdraw. Nevertheless, he pressed on - she deserved to know the truth. “They told me that they had someone important to me. That they were going to hurt them if I didn’t give the case files. I came over here, because, well...” he felt a little awkward. “You’re important to me. I thought they had you, so I had to check.” He paused. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t say anything. Her glare was cold, and calculating - something Connor had never been at receiving end of before. Indifferent eyes bored into him, as if every aspect of him being was being scrutinised and judged. Still, she didn’t speak.

“Please say something.” He whispered. She barely moved.  
“What would you like me to say, Connor?” Her tone was calm, yet brimming with hostility - as if she was on the verge of just screaming at him. That was fair, he thought. “Tell me.”  
“I don’t-“  
“I can’t believe,” her voice rose. “You led them here. You fucking went behind my back to further a run-of-the-mill drug investigation because - well, I don’t know why you did. I know it was fucking dumb.”  
“I did it because I wanted you to get some rest. Hank told me that you needed it, and that if we solved the case-“  
“Oh, _Hank_ told you?” The way she spat her words made it clear she thought it was a pathetic excuse. “That’s all right then. That’s fine. If _Hank_ said you should, it was perfectly justified.” She snarled. “I trusted you to have my goddamn back! I put my life on the line for you so many fucking times and this is how you act? I’ve never asked for anything in return - for fuck’s sake, I don’t want anything except a little basic common fucking decency!”

She was standing now, pacing in front of Connor. He closed his eyes.  
“I’m sorry.” He repeated.  
“You’re _sorry?_ Well, here’s a life lesson for you, Connor. _Sorry_ doesn’t make it better. It doesn’t fix what you’ve done. But thanks,” she said, nodding. “For compromising my investigation and putting my life at risk. Real big of you.”  
“I-“  
“You need to leave.” She snapped. The way she looked at him broke his heart - as if he was nothing but a mite, and she hated his existence. That familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach returned - as if he was going to be sick.

Without another word - what use would speaking be? - he walked out, closing the door with a soft click behind him. Avoiding the eyes of the officers outside, he walked over to his car, and drove away with tears dripping off his chin and onto his lap.


	17. A Life Lesson

_ Chapter Eighteen _

_ In which Connor begins to give up.  _

It had started to snow. 

As Connor closed the door to his flat, he stepped outside and looked up with a soft smile on his face. Two years had passed since the revolution - and even if he lost her and Hank, he still had his freedom. And no-one could take that away from him.

Her nose was red when he arrived to the precinct. Hair covered by a maroon beanie, with a few curly flyaways protruding from underneath - she stamped her foot against the ground, rubbing her fingers together to try and ignite a spark of feeling and warmth. She failed. Snowflakes settled on her long navy Belstaff coat, and quickly melted, leaving tiny dark dots all over her. Air puffed out in clouds of heat with her deep breaths, fragmenting and dissipating into the air around, fragile and delicate, and so fleeting in their existence. 

“Hello.” Connor said cautiously as he approached her. She jumped a little, startled.  
“Hello.” She surveyed him, still clad in his formal suit-and-tie despite the biting, bitter cold. Perks of being an android, she guessed. “Let’s go.”

No small talk. No friendly beam. No shuffling together for warmth. 

_ He really fucked up.  _

They drove in an unforgiving silence - she gripped the steering wheel and said nothing. But somehow, Connor still felt as if he was being scrutinised. He was being inspected, evaluated - and he didn’t like it one bit. 

He leant his head against the window, remembering what Hank had said to him once. 

__ “You know, she’s a good kid.”  
“She certainly seems very competent.”  
“Ah, knock it the fuck off, Connor. You’re more into her than that.”  
“She’s... amazing.”  
“She’s a good person, I’ll give you that. But she’s too - naive, too trusting.”  
“What? I don’t think-“  
“Let’s put it this way. Her boyfriend - fiancé, now - is a complete dick. Pretty sure he’s cheating on her. When I told her she just started fucking crying. She wouldn’t believe it. She’s so good she can’t see the bad in people.”  
“That’s not true-“  
“Maybe she can’t see the bad in her friends. All I know is, every time I fuck up, she gets angry for a few days and always forgives me. And I’ve done some huge fuck-ups.”  
“What are you saying?”  
“I’m saying she’s too good - too pure - for her own good. She’ll look past anything because she loves her friends so much. That’s why dating her is such a... responsibility. She’ll never hold you accountable - just love you and treasure you - and you can get away with anything.”  
“That’s... I feel bad for her.”  
“Most men take advantage of it. I hope, one day, she meets the right guy. One who can treat her well.” 

His implication had been clear.  _You would treat her well, Connor_.  Maybe he would. He damn well knew that he’d worship her every chance he got were he lucky enough to date her. 

But it would never happen. She was perfect, and everything about her seemed to flow. She seemed to  understand  everything and everyone. 

And Connor was... Connor. 

They thanked the witness before leaving, stepping out once again into the cold. She drew her coat closer around her, shivering. Connor couldn’t help but think that his heating capabilities would be more than helpful - but perhaps not welcomed. He doubted they were at the stage in which she would appreciate a warm bear hug from the android. 

He spotted a coffee shop nearby. Turning his head towards it, he toyed with the idea of taking her there. 

She probably wouldn’t want to spend much more time with him, though. Sighing, he considered what to do. 

“__-“  
“You can call me Detective.” She interrupted him coolly. Connor felt his heart break yet again. The aloof attitude, the workplace name - he was sure Hank was wrong, and he’d never be forgiven. In his opinion, he most likely deserved it. What kind of person would betray such a perfect woman?  
“Well, Detective, I’d like to get a coffee from the shop over there. Is it-“  
“Yeah, go ahead. I’ll wait in the car.” She turned away without a second thought. 

He frowned. Bringing her coffee couldn’t make up for it, but he wasn’t doing it with that intention in mind. She was cold and tired - he was helping her. It was that simple. 

So when he strolled back to the car, a cup in each hand, he had no expectations. Honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if she just poured it out of the window. 

Opening the door, he ducked to sit down. He handed her a coffee. 

“Here. I thought you might need it to keep you warm.” 

She surveyed him with kind - yet impassive - eyes. As she took it from him, their fingers touched for a brief moment, and Connor was painfully reminded of their experience together. He felt as if the beautiful memory, made of gold and spun with silver, would melt and slip between his fingers if he lost it. He needed to hold on to that - to her. 

“Thanks.” She smiled at him - a glorious smile, albeit a social nicety, but one that reminded him that not all was lost. Maybe Hank _was_ right. Maybe he’d be forgiven. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for the slow posting - i've had loads of exams and have started a new college recently so have had a hectic time. I'll be more regular, most likely posting every weekend.


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